Inhaling apparatus



July 12, 1938. M. HAUSMANN 2,123,334

INHALING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 31, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Max Hauamann In venfor By H1: Afforney3 A43; aka-12s..

12 8. SURGERY.

Search R001 INHALING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 31, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig. 2

Hill

Max Hauamann Inventor By His Afforneya 128. SURGERY.

Patented July 12, 1938 UNITED STATES Search Roo PATENT OFFICE INHALING APPARATUS Max Hausmann, Berlin-Zehlendort-Mitte, Germany, assignor to I. G. Farbenindustrie Aktiengesellschait, FrankIort-on-the-Main, Germany Application December 31, 1936, Serial No. 118,481 In Germany January 15, 1936 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to an inhaling apparatus of the kind in which an atomized medicament is supplied in association with a gas.

The inhalation of atomized medicaments sus pended in a gaseous medium, particularly oxygen, is prescribed in the treatment for quite a number of illnesses of the respiratory organs, such as asthma. While for purposes of respiration it is sufiicient that the oxygen be supplied to the mask with a positive pressure of a few centimetres water-gauge, the atomization of liquid and particularly oily medicaments, requires a far higher pressure which may be of the order of 1 to 5 metres water-gauge, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a device which enables the same source of oxygen or other respiratory gas to be used for breathing purposes as well as for the atomization of a liquid medicament,

irrespective of the pressure at which such respiratory gas is generated.

Whilst in principle any convenient source supplying oxygen or other respiratory gas, at comparatively low pressure, may be used in conjunction with the apparatus according to the invention, the latter is preferably employed in conjunction with the oxygen-generating apparatus described in application S. N. 78,612 entitled Apparatus for generating oxygen which constitutes a very convenient source of oxygen es-' pecially for medicinal purposes. Experiments have shown that, although normally the pressure of the oxygen generated in the said device is only moderate, the pressure can be increased,

without risk of the generation being impeded,

up to 1 atmosphere or more.

The respiratory gas, preferably oxygen, is supplied to the inhaling apparatus the subject of the present invention under a pressure suflicient to effect atomization of the medicament and, in accordance with the present invention, is divided into two streams, the pressure of one oi which is reduced to the pressure requisite for breathing purposes, whilst the other stream serves for the atomization of the medicament.

In order more clearly tounderstand the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate diagrammatically and by way of example, two embodiments thereof and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section, of one complete embodiment; and I Fig. 2 is a section through part of a second embodiment.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, 2 denotes an oxygen generator of the kind described in application S. N. 78,612, which is actuated by a striker knob I. The oxygen generated passes along a pipe 3 out of which branches a pipe 4.

Said pipe 4 is controlled by a stopcock l2 and is connected to a flexible tube l3 leading to an atomizer I 4 arranged within the breathing mask IS.

The main current of oxygen flowing along the pipe 3 is passed through a reducing valve to a flexible tube I l directly into the breathing mask. The reducing valve comprises a valve plate 6 constrained by a spring 1 and bearing on a seating 5. The pressure of the spring. 1 can be adjusted by an adjusting screw 8 in such a manner as to ensure that sufilcient pressure is set up in pipe 4 and flexible tube l3 to produce atomization of the medicament disposed in the atomizer N. Screwed into the casing of. the reducing valve is a sealing cap 9 having a branch conduit leading to a flexible bag Ill.

The whole apparatus is contained in a chest IS, the cover of which is not shown.

The apparatus operates in the following manner: A blow on the striker knob I initiates the liberation of oxygen in the cartridge. The oxygen passes through the supply pipe 3 into the lower chamber of the valve casing 5, and into the pressure pipe as far as the stopcock l2. On the latter being opened, a portion of the oxygen flows through the pressure tube Hi to the atomizer l4 and atomizes the medicament contained therein. By means of the injector provided in the atomizer ll, the oxygen pressure is increased, thereby lifting the valve plate 6 against the action of the spring 1. The oxygen is now able to flow, through the bores in the adjusting screw 8 and the two tube connections on the sealing cap 9, into the bag l0, and through the tube ll into the mask 15, where it is inhaled. The adjusting screw 8 enables the pressure of the spring 1, and therefore that of the oxygen, to be varied. medicament is to be atomized, the stopcock I 2 should be closed.

With the embodiment described with reference to Fig. 1, it is sometimes diificult to close the stopcock in due time and thus to prevent the medicament from being atomized during the exhaling period as well. This may, in certain circumstances, cause a portion of the mist to be deposited in the mask and wet the latter, or even the face of the wearer.

In order to enable the wearer of the mask, without difliculty, to allow the atomizing of the medicament to proceed solely during the inhaling period, and thus prevent the mask and face from being wetted by deposited droplets of the medicament, the modified arrangement shown in Fig. 2 can be employed.

In this embodiment the stopcock I2 is located in a handle 20 secured to the breathing mask 15 and is so arranged that it can be operated with one finger so that the atomizing can be easily started and stopped for inhaling and exhaling respectively. In said handle 20 are arranged pipes Ila and I 3a, to which the tubes H and I3 respectively are connected.

I claim:

1. An inhaling apparatus comprising a source of gas, a gas mask fitted with at least two gas supply pipes, a device adapted to receive and to atomize a liquid medicament and operatively connected with one of said gas supply pipes to produce atomization of said medicament by the gas supplied therethrough, a gas supply pipe leading away from said source of gas and dividing into two branch pipes, one of said branch pipes, by way of an interposed valve, being connected with said gas pipe supplying the atomizing gas current, and the other of said branch pipes connecting, through a reducing valve which is adjustable in respect of pressure, with another of said gas supply pipes.

2. An inhaling apparatus comprising a source of gas, a gas mask fitted with at least two gas supply pipes, a device adapted to receive and to atomize a liquid medicament and operatively connected with one of said gas supply pipes to produce atomization of said medicament by the gas supplied therethrough, a gas supply pipe leading away from said source of gas and dividing into two branch pipes, one of said branch pipes, by way of an interposed valve, being connected with said gas pipe supplying the atomizing gas current, and the other of said branch pipes connecting, through a spring controlled reducing valve, with another of said gas supply pipes.

3. An inhaling apparatus comprising a source of gas, a gas mask fitted with at least two gas supply pipes, a device adapted to receive and to atomize a liquid medicament disposed within said mask and operatively connected with one of said gas supply pipes to produce atomization of said medicament by the gas supplied therethrough, a gas supply pipe leading away from said source of gas and dividing into two branch pipes, one of said branch pipes, by way of an interposed valve, being connected with said gas pipe supplying the atomizing gas current, and the other of said branch pipes connecting, through a reducing valve which is adjustable in respect of pressure, with another of said gas supply pipes.

4. An inhaling apparatus comprising a source of gas, a gas mask provided with a handle and fitted with at least two gas supply pipes integrally connected with said handle, a device adapted to receive and to atomize a liquid medicament disposed within said mask and operatively connected with one of said gas supply pipes to produce atomization of said medicament by the gas sup plied therethrough, a gas supply pipe leading away from said source of gas and dividing into two branch pipes, one of said branch pipes, by way of an interposed valve adapted to be actuated by the hand holding said handle, being connected with said gas pipe supplying the atomizing gas current, and the other of said branch pipes connecting, through a reducing valve which is adjustable in respect of pressure, with another of said gas supply pipes.

MAX HAUSMANN. 

